Waymo self-driving car runs red light raising safety concerns
Waymo explained that the vehicle encountered inconsistent construction signage and temporarily entered an unoccupied oncoming lane.
A police officer pulled over a self-driving Waymo vehicle in Phoenix on 19 June after it ran a red light and entered a lane of oncoming traffic. Local media, including the Arizona Republic, released bodycam footage showing the vehicle weaving through traffic before stopping in a parking lot. The officer approached the empty car and found he could not issue a citation to the computer.
Waymo stated that the vehicle encountered inconsistent construction signage, causing it to enter the oncoming lane for about 30 seconds. The incident lasted approximately one minute, and no passengers were in the car.
The incident follows two voluntary software recalls by Waymo earlier this year after crashes, and the company’s software safety is currently under investigation by federal regulators.